Zach, Cammie, and the Twins?
by Gracie the Bookworm
Summary: Cammie has two kids- twins, a daughter and son. Zach is the dad, but doesn't know about them, because he cheated on her. When Zach is hired to work as the CoveOps teacher- alongside Cammie!-the same semester as the newest Blackthorne-Gallagher exchange, will he find his fifteen year-old-kids- who already know he's their dad? Please read and review!
1. Twins, Dumb Things, and Surprises

**Do I own Gallagher Girls? No. Sadly. Are you ready to read this story? I sure hope so!**

**Happy reading,**

**Gracie**

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**Cammie POV**

**May 22****nd**

**15 years ago**

I was a mom. _I was a mom. __I was a mom._

No matter how I said it, I couldn't believe it.

I, CAMERON ANN MORGAN, WAS A MOTHER!

Never mind if Zach was long gone. I couldn't care less at that moment. Holding Andrew and Lily in my arms made everything seem okay.

Boy, did I sure hope it would stay that way.

**Zach POV**

**September 15****th**

**Present day**

I've done some dumb things during my lifetime.

There was the time Grant dared me to dress up as Professor White and teach an Explosives course to seventh graders (Let's just say Professor was not happy when he was freed from the janitor's closet.). Eating three double cheeseburgers in three minutes wasn't too smart, either. And of course, bungee jumping off the roof of Blackthorne was not my brightest moment.

But the dumbest thing I've ever done? Well, that's easy.

The dumbest thing I've ever done was cheat on Cammie Morgan.

I know, I know. Call me an idiotic, no-good, dirty cheater. Believe me, I've called myself this every day.

The thing is, I still don't know why I did it. Just being Zach Goode, I guess. Stupid, flirty Zach Goode.

I've also done a lot of, um, surprising things as well, and all of the before-mentioned activities fit in this category.

But the fact that I never could will myself to find out what happened to Cammie surprised even me.

I mean, you'd think I would hack into every website and database I could until I found out everything about my ex-fiancée. Did she have a husband? Kids? Where did she work? But I didn't do any research. I didn't even look for her after she was gone. Because I was scared. Can you believe it, Zach Goode, scared?

Well, that was going to change. Because the FBI was saying goodbye to Zach Goode.

I was the new CoveOps teacher at Gallagher, which, just as they did twenty-three years ago, was having a switch with Blackthorne this year.

This was what my information sheet said.

**Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women**

**Faculty Information Sheet**

**Headmistress: Rachel Morgan-Solomon**

**Name: Zachary James Goode**

**Teaching Covert Operations at said academy for grades 7-12.**

**Teaching alongside Cameron Ann Morgan.**

**Please eat this Evapo Paper as soon as you have read this message.**

Why did I take this job in the first place? Well, after failing to follow protocol on my last mission (and two missions before that; but come on, I saved three prime ministers and two bystanders, it should be excused, right?), I got booted out of the FBI. And seeing as Gallagher was hiring, and Joe decided I'd be a good candidate for CoveOps, well… ta-da. I'm teaching with Cammie.

Suddenly, my world was going to be a whole lot different.

I would start work tomorrow. The first day of the exchange.

**Lily POV**

**September 16****th**

I already knew what was going to happen.

As soon as Grandma stood up at that podium and began to talk, I knew it was about time I was going to see my brother.

And after some extensive research (research being a whole lot of eavesdropping), everything finally matched up with what had happened twenty-three years ago- a Blackthorne-Gallagher exchange.

So when my brother Andrew walked in, smirking, amongst his band of rowdy friends and the squeals of boy-crazy seventh-graders, I wasn't surprised at all.

But there was one thing that I was not expecting.

Grandma cleared her throat, and the squealers became silent.

"We at Gallagher Academy welcome the Blackthorne Institute for Boys. We also welcome a new teacher, who will be staying here during the exchange. Though not a teacher at Blackthorne, he is an alumni. Please welcome your new CoveOps teacher, Zachary Goode."

This time there was no warmth in Grandma's voice, though I doubt anyone else realized it. I knew why.

Andrew's smirk had been wiped off, replaced with a grim look. His eyes locked with mine.

Dear God, please tell me this isn't happening.

Zach Goode. The guy who cheated on our mother fifteen years ago.

Our father.

I looked over at my mom, who was sitting with the faculty. Her face showed no emotion, and I could tell she felt my eyes on her, but would not look in my direction. She never told me or Andrew who our father was, but we figured it out. I'm sure Mom expected we would find out on our own.

My unusual silence seemed to unnerve my friends.

"Lily? Are you okay?" Marie asked. Marie Barnes, who was the second foreign student to be accepted into Gallagher, was speaking Italian, and, being the amazing spy she was, she disguised her South African accent perfectly. Marie's beautiful, dark brown face was etched with worry, as were the faces of beauty queen Jeanette Winters and smart girl Minnie Canes.

Of course, it only made sense that my group of friends was exactly like Mom's was when she was at school. Jeanette was even one of my mom's best friend's daughter. Her mom was Macey Winters. Aunt Bex had a son a year above us and a daughter a year below us, and Aunt Liz had a son who is three years old, the same age of one of Jeanette's three little brothers.

So, save for my talkative demeanor and the occasional (though less stupid than my brother's) smirk, I was Chameleon: the Sequel.

"Lily? Lily? You know, statistically, leaving your mouth open will…" Minnie began but I interrupted, diving out of my trance, saying, "Yeah, guys, I'm totally great!"

_Yeah, guys, I'm totally not, mostly because my no-good dad just showed up at my school!_

"No, you're not," Jeanette said, practically reading my mind. Well, other than the whole my-Dad-just-showed-up thing.

"I'll tell you later. When there aren't as many people," I said, and that seemed to appease them for the time being. I then saw Andrew wave for me, his smirk back and as stupid as ever.

"I'm gonna say hi to Andy for a sec, okay?"

"Okay," answered my friends, already listening to Marie talk about the quickest way to knock a 250-pound man unconscious (pressure points are key).

You've gotta love my friends.

I rushed over towards Andrew, who was standing at the entranceway to the Great Hall. He was leaning against a plaque that says, "Like the phoenix, we rise from ashes, stronger than ever before." Our school was burned down just before our mom graduated, years and years ago.

"Andrew. It's Dad. He'll be teaching CoveOps," I said, not wasting any time.

"I know. What are we supposed to do?"

"Act normal, I guess. And if we have a chance to do so, punch his nose a couple times."

"This sucks," Andrew stated bluntly.

"I know."

"But it'll be fine, little sister."

"You're only five minutes older… and how do you know it'll be fine?!" My voice gave away the fear I feel right now, but more than that, the anger.

"I promise. I give you my twin word."

I pause. "Okay. But only because of your twin word."

I smiled, and made my way back to the table, where I began to cheer up and enjoy my friends. Why let Zach Goode get in the way of my wonderful world at Gallagher Academy?

Oh, who was I kidding? This was going to be one tough semester.

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**I hope you enjoyed! Please tell me what you think!**


	2. Waffle Bars and a Flustered Zach Goode

**Fairy godmother: Hello, my dear Graciela.**

**Gracie: Um. Hi. Who are you?**

**Fairy godmother: I'm your fairy godmother- and your wish is my command!**

**Gracie: Really? Well... What I'd really like is to own the Gallagher Girls series. **

**Fairy godmother: Oh, well... I am sorry, Graciela, but you are not Ally Carter. You do not and will never own Cammie and her friends.**

**Gracie: _Darn._**

**Happy reading,**

**Gracie**

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** Andrew POV**

**September 17th**

I should have been happy. Here I was, at a school a lot nicer than my own, with my best friends, my grandma, my mom, and my sister. I should have been over the moon, right?

There was a problem, though.

My dad.

As I changed into the uniform given to us exclusively for the Gallagher-Blackthorne exchange, I couldn't help but feel extremely nervous.

My. Dad. Was. Going. To. Teach. Me. Covert. Operations.

Why, God, why?!

My first instinct was to lock the guy in the depths of Sublevel Three- wherever that was. But I figured that might make me look bad, considering it was my first day at Gallagher. My second instinct told me to jump out of that window and hightail it all the way back to Blackthorne. But no way was I risking those security cameras that electrocute you if they think you're a "person of interest".

So I had to grudgingly agree with my third instinct. Go to class.

"Hey, Drew, you're all quiet today. What's up with you?" Chris, one of my three roommates, asked. After a little pause he spoke again, awestruck, saying, "Whoa. Drew. You. It rhymes. Dude, look, I just made a rhyme without even trying!"

"God, Chris, you're a genius," Jack said sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes. Yeah, Chris was not the sharpest knife in the drawer. But he had a killer front snap kick.

"Nothing's up, Chris," I answered, ignoring the snickers of Jack and Noah. "But aren't you guys late, you know, considering they have a waffle bar downstairs?"

"Oh, God! Drew, why didn't you tell us that before?!" Noah shouted.

"Seriously, man!" Chris added.

There was no waffle bar.

I just needed to leave without suspicion.

"Well, guys, I guess since I'm dressed… I think I'll get some waffles," I said.

"Whatever, dude. Just make sure you save me some syrup," Noah said as he grappled with his embroidered Gallagher Academy tie. And it was a clip-on.

Yeah, there was not too much finery at Blackthorne Institute for Boys. Just a bunch of orange jumpsuits filled in by boys whose biggest hopes and dreams consisted of disabling a bomb in less than sixty seconds.

"I'll see you guys later," I called out as my roommates rushed to get ready. To be honest, I was a little nervous about going to CoveOps with them. Well, after they found out there wasn't a waffle bar. I figured that if I walked around a bit and caught up with Lily before I went in, I could calm down enough so I wouldn't freak out and put my father in the hospital.

Lily and I had already planned on meeting in front of the trophy case at 8:30. After snagging a few slices of toast from the breakfast buffet, I walked towards the silhouette of a girl who just happened to be five minutes younger than me. Seeing Lily, I knew she was right on time, as usual.

"Hey, Andrew," she whispered.

"Hey, Lily. Nervous?"

"No." I gave her a look that said 'I'm not buying it.' "Yes."

"Me, too."

"You know, Andy, a broken nose might do Mr. Zachary _Goode_ some _good._"

I stared at her for a moment. Oh, my sister and her bad puns, present even in the most stressful of times.

"You're hilarious," I said, my voice reeking with sarcasm.

"I am, aren't I? But seriously, I would be fine with him having a crooked nose. That would be A-Okay with me."

I agreed.

"Well, we better go," Lily decided, "Wouldn't want to be late, would we?"

**Cammie POV**

**September 17th**

A loophole. That was what I needed. Because, unless I found some way to escape it, in a few minutes, I would be teaching alongside Zach Goode. So, flipping through the Gallagher Academy handbook, I was just praying for a way out. Preferably along the lines of, _"Persons dismissed from their duties as operatives from any official undercover organization will not be admitted to teach at Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women."_

Or something like that.

As I paged through the manual for the third time, two voices chimed, "Hi, Mom."

I looked up. "Hi, sweet peas!"

Lily and Andrew stood side by side, and I couldn't help but beam at the sight of them both in Gallagher Academy uniforms.

I scanned their faces. Both were nervous, but judging by the fact that half the class was already in the CoveOps room, they had not come for a private conversation.

"Are you two ready for CoveOps?" I asked, placing the handbook on my desk. Oh well. I would try again as soon as this class was over.

"Actually, Mom, we need to talk about…" My son began, trailing off.

"Actually, it can wait," Lily said, nudging Andrew with one hand, and pointing behind me with the other.

And there stood Zachary Goode. He looked me straight in the eye, staring at me and said, "Well, it's nice to see you again, Gallagher Girl."

**Zach POV**

**Same day, same time, same place**

Oh, God.

I'm an idiot. And I mean complete and total idiot.

After fifteen years apart, separated because _I _cheated on _her_, all I say is "It's nice to see you again?" And using 'Gallagher Girl'? My nickname for her? What was I thinking?!

_Zachary Goode, I now present you with The Numskull of the Year Award. Congratulations._

With the fake awards ceremony playing out in my head, I decided I'd better say something to make Cammie hate me a little bit less.

"I mean…" I started, trying to smirk, but didn't finish. The two students that had been talking to her, obviously brother and sister, shot me death glares. I must have interrupted a student-teacher meeting or something.

But they did look a lot like Cammie.

_It's just a coincidence. Just a coincidence,_ I convinced myself.

When they both left for their seats, Cammie gave me one long glower. She then decided to grab me by the wrist and pull me into the back office.

"Look, Zach, I am going to put up with you while we teach, and only then. Otherwise, you better stay away from me," Cammie said, and before she could gauge my stunned reaction, she flipped around, rushed back into the crowded classroom, and began to speak to the class, which had filled completely in the past minute.

"Hello, class, my name is Ms. Morgan. Some of you may know me from classes at Gallagher. Blackthorne boys, however, are unfamiliar with my classes. Either way, I welcome you all to CoveOps." She paused for a moment, and I couldn't help it when my mind started to buzz with questions.

_Ms. Morgan. She's either not married or she didn't change her maiden name. Oh, who am I kidding? She'd have gotten married. Unless she's divorced. But-_

Cammie cut off my mile-a-minute thinking. "This is Mr. Goode. Headmistress Morgan introduced him at our dinner last night. Anything to say, Mr. Goode?" She said, giving me another death glare, the third one of the day. I gulped.

Yeah. I gulped. Seriously, this woman could try to do anything in her power to knock me off guard, and I would be one step ahead, doing half the work for her! Why was I so defenseless? I was Zachary freaking Goode, for crying out loud!

"Nothing?" Cammie said, interrupting my train of thought for the second time in two minutes. "Okay, then, let's begin."

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**I hope you enjoyed... Next chapter will be up soon. Please tell me what you think in the reviews (Constructive criticism is welcome). And if you like this story, please follow and/or favorite it!**

**Speaking of reviews, I want to thank everyone who reviewed, followed, or favorited this story!**

**Kstarrox, Hammer22, SummerTime15, Megan the Reader, and Fluffy has a Max, thanks for your reviews!**

**Thank you, everyone!**


	3. Role Call, Code Names, and Tahiti

**My name is Graciela. Does that sound like Ally? No, sadly not. *sighs* I write my own stories, but do I own Gallagher Girls? *sees first answer, applies it to second question… sighs again.***

**Happy reading,**

**Gracie**

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**Lily POV**

**September 17th**

If the fire living in my face was any indication, I was a little nervous.

Okay, maybe more than a little bit.

Alright, I admit it. I was freaking out.

I was usually very level-headed- you needed to be when you were trying to bypass the firewalls of a CIA database- but, then again, I hadn't exactly been in the type of situation where the dad I never knew was standing in front of me, teaching me how to be a kick-butt spy.

"Chris Martin," Mr. Goode said, reading off a sheet of paper and checking off what I could only assume was another name when Chris shouted, "Here!"

Mr. Goode was inching closer and closer to the names of my brother and me. The thought of him actually saying our names out loud made my cheeks- actually, my whole body- feel like they were bursting into flames.

Would he recognize my green eyes, or Andrew's smirk, both identical to his own? What would he say if he did? And would Andrew have enough self-control (which was not exactly his forte) to keep himself from pulling out some black-belt Tai Kwan Do moves on Mr. Zachary Goode?

Questions bounced around in my head like bright red kickballs, threatening to add a headache to my list of worries.

"Jane Miller."

Mr. Goode was a name away now. "Here."

"Andrew," he said, "Morgan."

It was out. And Andrew didn't flinch when he said, "You better believe I'm here."

God, my brother was a blockhead. An arrogant blockhead.

By the looks of it, Mom was silently scolding my cocky brother. She shot him a 'We'll talk later' look that all mothers seem to have been born with, sending all of Drew's confidence running out the door.

And while Mom looked angry- embarrassed, even- Mr. Goode looked… well, to be honest, I couldn't tell what he looked like. Well, when it came to his emotional state, at least. Physically? He looked like my dad. He looked like my teacher. He looked like Zach Goode. He looked like he was as conceited as my brother. "Okay, Andrew Morgan is here." A smirk was growing on his face, but it seemed like it was there to cover up the flicker of something (surprise, maybe?) that had crossed his face seconds before. Yes, he had definitely felt some kind of emotion, if only for a second.

Surprising. Apparently he wasn't a heartless robot. Of course, if he had been, I would have been a cyborg, but I could work with that. I could be the world's first cyborg-spy.

"Lily Morgan," Mr. Goode repeated, and I realized that I had been so busy examining my parents' emotions (and imagining myself half-robot, half-human), I had completely ignored the words my teacher/ long-lost dad (wow, was my life messed up or what?) had said.

I took a quick glance at Andrew, hoping to gather some of his remaining confidence for myself. Feeling a little bit better, like I was back to my normal self, I said loudly, "I'm here."

Thinking about how much effort it took just to feel normal around Mr. Goode, I wondered how long I could take this. Forget a year, let alone a semester. I'd be lucky if I made it through CoveOps class.

**Andrew POV**

**September 17th, later that day**

"I've got eyes on Mama Bear."

I heard the words come out of my mouth, but I wasn't sure if they were mine. I'd bugged my friends, my sister (to be fair, she bugged me first), the Blackthorne Institute Dean's Office, and even a member of the mafia (I'd gotten a lot of extra credit and a month, grounded for that one), but never had I expected on bugging the faculty room, setting up cameras the size of a period at the end of a sentence at every angle, and spying on my own mother.

It seemed like an all-time low for Andrew Morgan. But Blackthorne Institute for Boys (boy spies- _not assassins_- but boys no less) had taught me well, because no on suspected a thing.

"Andy," Lily called from the other end of our makeshift surveillance room, i.e. the secret passageway she'd found in 7th grade. "These codenames suck."

"Quiet, Loudmouth." Though, really, my sister had been uncharacteristically quiet lately. The alias didn't seem appropriate when Lily was within five hundred feet of Zach Goode.

"Why did you have to pick all these awful names, Drew?!"

"I have my reasons. And please, call me Six Pack."

"Over my dead body."

Funny, how earlier this morning we were as close as can be, and now we were fighting over things as little as (admittedly) stupid codenames. But that's what it's like to have a sibling.

My computer screen was zeroed in on my mom, who casually took a sip of coffee while in the faculty lounge. Lily's laptop was lit up with the image of Zach Goode.

Turns out, surveillance is a lot of sitting and waiting. Watching old people converse with other old people is exactly what you would expect it would be- boring. Mom (the youngest old person there) was eating a ham sandwich. That was it. Eating. And all I could think was, _Wow, I could really go for a ham sandwich_.

But slowly, the images on both computer screens began to merge as Mr. Goode made his way over towards Mom.

"Um. Gallagher Girl?" he said, before quickly changing his mind, "I mean, Cammie?"

"I thought I told you not to talk to me, Zach. Please, just leave me alone," Mom said, her words clipped and angry.

"I just wanted to apologize. You know, for earlier. Well, for everything, actually." Mr. Goode tried a smirk, but it seemed to fade as Mom shot him the family death glare.

"How thoughtful. Goodbye now."

"Okay, Galla… Cammie," Mr. Goode said. Then, thinking for a moment, he asked, "Were those your kids in class?"

Um. Wow. He was asking about us.

Why?

"Yes, they're mine. And if you're going to complain about how arrogant my son is, I'm _so_ sorry," Mom answered, not sounding sorry at all.

"No, I was just wondering. So, you're married?"

_God, please don't let me kill my father right at this very moment. It would go against all the values my mother tried so hard to instill in my sister and me. Thank you for your time. I will see you on Sunday. Amen._

I was seriously resisting my impulse to knock this guy out, when Mom, without missing a beat, said, "Yes." A lie. She had never been married. Mom just_dated,_ never tied the knot. Yet, she showed no telltale signs of untruth. At all. Mom was a great spy, that was for sure. Still, I wondered how she would keep from getting caught up in this lie, but, knowing my mother, she would find a way.

"Oh. Great. Congratulations. Well, I'll see you later." Mr. Goode looked a little different, almost… disappointed? He was running his hands through his dark head of hair. Once again, he attempted a smirk, but it wasn't working. Even I knew that.

For the hundredth time since Zachary Goode had come to Gallagher Academy, I wondered if he had figured it out. I wondered if, when he disappeared off that screen, he would find us in our secret hideout and say, "Look, I know you're my children. I'm so sorry I cheated on your mom, and left you two. Can you ever forgive me?!"

Yeah. Right.

But he was bound to figure it out at some point. What would I do, I wondered, when he did?

**Cammie POV**

**September 17th**

I took a small sip of my coffee as Zach sauntered out of the door of the faculty room, back into the hallway, where a cluster of juniors giggled at the sight of him.

My mind seemed to be humming with the simple word: "Yes." As a spy, I lied frequently, but those lies were planned, for-the-greater-good-of-society kind of lies. This lie was a heat-of-the-moment-I-had-better-tell-him-something kind of lie.

I was a bit worried he would catch me in it, perhaps after talking to another faculty member. I hadn't exactly expected him to care at all. I mean, he cheated on me.

Yet, Zach looked upset, or something like it. It was fleeting, but still, having him care at all made my stomach flip-flop.

I needed to talk with someone. Sneaking into the faculty bathroom, I grabbed my phone from my back pocket, leaning against the restroom sink.

"Bex?"

"Oh, hello, Cam. You know, Grant and I agree that Tahiti is absolutely lovely this time of year."

"Great," I said, wishing I was there. Well, really, I wished I was anywhere but here.

"Are you alright? You sound nervous."

"Oh, it's nothing. I'm fine."

"Cameron Ann Morgan!"

There were a few rapid knocks at the door, to which I called out, "Occupied!"

"What are you talking about, Cam?"

"Nothing."

"What's wrong, then?"

"Okay, okay… Zach's here."

"_What?!_" Bex shrieked into the phone, practically deafening me.

"He's here. And he's teaching CoveOps. With me."

"Oh my God." Bex paused, trying to max out her theatricality. "Does he know about Lily and Andrew?"

"No. I don't think so."

"Good. Look, I'm going to book a plane for tomorrow. I'll be there by eight PM, at the latest. I might as well contact Macey and Liz, as well."

"What? No, Bex, really, it's okay…"

"You heard me, Cam. Tahiti is overrated, anyway. Truthfully, I prefer Sicily."

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**So, what did you guys think? Tell me in the reviews! Follow and/or favorite me if you'd like. **

**I want to thank you all for your reviews. I can honestly say they made my day. Thank you to all who reviewed, favorited, or followed this story!**

**I do want to apologize to everyone who wanted to see Zach realize he's Lily and Andrew's dad in this chapter. Don't worry, he WILL find out, it might just take a little longer than expected. Again... sorry!**

**As for Zammie? Yes, I think so. In the later chapters. But it will be worth the wait!**

**You guys are my people. My fanfiction people. AND MY FANFICTION PEOPLE ARE AMAZING!**

**Happy reading,**

**Gracie**


	4. Big Words, a Cute Boy, and Green Eyes

**Cammie: I'm really enjoying this story. But why did Zach have to cheat on me? **

**Gracie: Sorry.**

**Cammie: Can you change it? I mean, you are Ally Carter, right? Just tell the publishers you want to make a change.**

**Gracie: Actually, I'm not Ally Carter. I don't own you, or Gallagher Girls. This is just fanfiction.**

**Happy reading,**

**Gracie**

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**Zack POV**

**September 18****th**

**_CoveOps is cancelled for today. Please meet Ms. Morgan and Mr. Goode at the P&E Barn at 8 o'clock tonight. Don't wear your uniform._**

That was all the note said. And, looking at the sophomore class over the video cameras implanted in their sunglasses, necklaces, and _I Heart Roseville_ buttons, I wondered if the girls had taken the 'Don't wear your uniform' part of the letter a little too seriously.

A lot of eyeliner, a lot of lip liner, and a lot of short skirts. That's all I'll say. And I have got to tell you, it was freaking me out a little bit. Not to mention, I wasn't sure if they were trying to impress the boys from Blackthorne, or (yuck) _me._

But one of the girls wasn't like the rest. She was wearing blue jeans. No makeup, no high-heels. She was smart. She knew this was CoveOps, not some party where she was posing as a scantily-clad foreign diplomat.

Of course, it only made sense that this girl was Lily Morgan. It seemed to me she was just like her mom- a real pavement artist. Cammie and I were listening to her, in addition to eight other tailing groups, on video feed, seeing what Lily was seeing, hearing what she was hearing.

Cammie still wasn't talking to me, but I could tell she was nervous.

And I could also tell why- Lily and Andrew were talking. _To each other._ They hadn't been assigned to work in the same tailing group of three, but there they were, chatting it up like a normal brother and sister duo.

Actually, it was smart. They looked normal. They looked like they _were_ a regular brother and sister duo. So nobody gave them a second glance.

_Genius._

They were walking along, licking ice cream cones and occasionally switching positions with their _actual _team members.

"You know, Drew, I really think the Hack750 shouldn't be a big deal." Okay, maybe those kids shouldn't have been talking about the latest hacking technology. That was a bit less than genius. "I know you're the hacking aficionado, but…" Lily stopped talking, cut off by her brother.

"Wait. Stop," Andrew said.

"What?"

"Did you seriously just say _aficionado?_"

"Yeah. Why?"

"God. You are such a dork."

"What? I'm, like, the least dorky person on earth. I am the delineation of notoriety."

"Ha ha. You did that on purpose."

"Yeah, I totally did. I'm so funny like that. Or should I say _facetious? Gelastic? Jocose? Mirthful?" _Lily was grinning now.

"Shut up."

"You just know I'm smarter than you."

"No, I just know you spend _way _too much time with Minnie."

"Point taken. And agreed with."

Andrew smirked.

These kids were interesting. They seemed close enough to joke with each other. It seemed like Cammie had done a good job with them. I wondered who their dad was. If only I had stayed with Cammie. We could have had kids like them.

_No, Zach. _I wouldn't have been a good dad. I mean, it wasn't like I had had a dad to begin with, how would I be able to be a good dad to some kid?

Andrew had left. Lily was now talking into her comms unit, and started heading towards a table where Mr. Jordan had left his can of Coca-Cola. She picked it up, the object of her mission completed. She had found what her elusive teacher had been drinking. That was all she needed. She could come back to the van, tell us what she had found, and get a passing grade.

That was it. She was done.

But she was still at the table. Talking to a _civilian._

The boy wasn't from Blackthorne, and I wondered what Lily, who had seemed so professional just minutes before, was thinking.

Cammie almost seemed to smile when she muttered, "Oh, God. An Abrams boy."

**Lily POV**

**September 18****th**

I could hear my heart pounding in my chest. Oh, God, please don't let me explode.

"Hey, I haven't seen you around before."

The words ran through my mind again and again, and, staring at the boy's bright, beautiful eyes, I felt myself beginning to melt.

"Um."

Was that all I could say? What was wrong with me?!

GET IT TOGETHER, LILY!

"You know, your eyes are really pretty," the mystery boy said.

"Wow, uh, thanks? I mean, thanks. You have a really great smile."

I felt myself blush, realizing my mom and Mr. Goode were watching this whole conversation.

"Thanks. So, why haven't I seen you here before?"

If there was anything I knew, it was that in Roseville, all Gallagher Academy was was a stuck-up boarding school for stuck-up girls from stuck-up families. So I was _not_ going to tell him I went there.

"Oh. Well, I just moved here. But…I'm homeschooled! And, this is like, my first social event." Yeah. That sounded believable.

"Great. Well, you know…"

"Lily!" someone shouted behind me.

Andrew jogged up beside me, smiling. Mystery Boy's own smile faltered and he asked, "Oh. Is this your boyfriend?"

"Oh, God, no. This is my brother, Andrew."

Mystery Boy's smile returned. "Cool. So, you know, if you ever need someone to show you around town, I'd love to …"

"Lily, we gotta go," Andrew said, cutting Mystery Boy off.

"That's okay," Mystery Boy said, "I'll see you around… Lily?"

"Yes. It's Lily."

Mystery Boy beamed.

"I'm Jake Abrams. I'll see you later… Lily."

And with that, Andrew turned to me, and said, "You are busted. Mom's going to kill you- and your new boyfriend."

But to be honest, I didn't hear a word. All I heard was _I'm Jake Abrams. I'm Jake Abrams._

_ I'm Jake Abrams._

I think I just died.

**Andrew POV**

**September 18****th**

Okay, so Mom hadn't actually told me to get Lily. But really, what was she doing, talking to some guy like that? I was her older brother, and it was _my_ job to protect her.

Mom was back at Gallagher. She had to leave Roseville early, to meet up with Aunt Bex. And, as it turned out, Lily and I were the last ones out in the field. Even our partners had left us.

Which meant one thing.

We had to ride back in the van.

With Mr. Goode.

How's that for bad luck?

"Ms. Morgan, why were you talking to a civilian, reverting from the task at hand?" Mr. Goode asked coolly, sitting in the driver's seat of the van while we stayed in the back.

"I found out what Mr. Jordan was drinking. My task was done," Lily answered.

"No. You were supposed to report back to the van. _Immediately."_

Lily decided to change the subject. "Did you, uh, hear my whole conversation?"

"I did," I said shooting Lily an 'I'll try to distracthim'look. "And I think you're better off with W.W. Hale the… what is it, the sixth?"

"Shut up. Jake is sweet. And I totally distracted Hale from stealing that Monet," Lily shot back. Mr. Goode just sat back in the front seat, beginning to drive and starting to smirk. Taking it all in.

_This is what you would have had to deal with if you had stayed with our Mom, _I wanted to say to him.

Instead I said to Lily, "But you let him get away." I grinned, teasing her a bit.

"Whatever. I was fourteen. I was practically a child. And I kept him from stealing a priceless work of art!"

We both began to laugh. Mr. Goode looked out of place while we began to lose our breath. It looked like we had dropped the subject of Jake Abrams.

"You know, Lily, Aunt Bex is at Gallagher Academy tonight."

"Really? Because there's this one move I've been working on- you know, the one where I flip the person over by grabbing both feet?"

"How could I forget? I still have a bump on my head from the time you tested it out on me."

"Yeah. That was good. But, I want to show Aunt Bex. See what she thinks, you know?"

I nodded. And then, there was silence.

A _lot _of silence.

So I took it in my power to fill it.

And that was when I blurted, "So, you used to date my mom, huh?"

_God, Andrew. You're an idiot!_

For the first time in my life, Mr. Goode seemed surprised. He seemed caught off guard. But still he said, "Yes. I did."

"Ha. You better not tell our dad that. He'll smack you upside the head."

What was I doing?! He _was_ my dad!

The van was pulling into Gallagher now. Mr. Goode was silent.

Lily and I piled out of the van, and I smiled at Lily's bright green eyes, lit up emeralds at night. I realized Mr. Goode was looking at them, too. And then I realized his were exactly the same.

I wondered if Mr. Goode noticed, too.

* * *

**Well, I hope you liked this chapter! It was kind of a filler chapter, but I kind of just wanted to have Jake Abrams have an appearance. He probably won't show up too much, because, well, the story isn't ****_about_**** him. It was just a little nod to Josh, ya know? And what about W.W. Hale the Sixth? Heist Society, anyone?!**

**Liked this chapter? Have suggestions for next chapter? Tell me in the reviews! Like this story? Follow and/or favorite it!**

**Thanks to all who reviewed, followed, or favorited. YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING!**

**Happy reading,**

**Gracie**


	5. Phoenix, the Return of Bex, and Dancing

**Gracie: *typing***

**Gracie's Mom: Graciela! Are you still on that computer? Why don't you get outside?**

**_Two minutes later_**

**Mom: Why are you typing on the computer outside?**

**Gracie: I'm writing.**

**Mom: Graciela Akila! **

**Gracie: Oh! I just posted! Woo-hoo! Sorry it took so long, Mom, I had to explain that I don't own the Gallagher Girls.**

**So, yeah. I don't own Gallagher Girls.**

**Happy reading,**

**Gracie**

**Cammie's POV  
September 18th**

"Bex!"

"Cam!"

Bex smiled at me as she emerged from the unassuming black car in the driveway. She wasn't wearing any makeup, and her wardrobe consisted of jeans and a white tee, but, as usual, she looked like she had just walked off of a runway.

"God, I haven't seen you for so long!" she exclaimed.

"I know! So, how was Tahiti?"

"Um. Let's talk about that later," Bex's face was concerned. "Where's Zachary?"

"We had a CoveOps exercise in Roseville tonight, so he stayed to make sure everyone got back."

"Is this the same exercise where you met Josh?" she said slyly.

"Yes. And, as it turns out, right before I left, I saw Lily talking to an Abrams boy. He looked exactly like Josh; he had to have been his son."

Bex laughed. "Like mother like daughter, hmm, Cam?"

We began to walk inside. "So, what's this with Tahiti?"

Bex's smile disappeared. "Do you really want to know?"

"Of course," I answered.

"Actually, it's something big, something we didn't expect to see. Ever."

"What happened? What is it?"

"Do you remember when we brought down the Circle? And we expected everything to just thin out? That the moles would either be caught or stray away from the Circle, because all the founders had been killed?"

Where was Bex going with this?

"Of course I remember."

"They call themselves Phoenix. Because they 'rise again from ashes'. Sound familiar?"

"It's on the plaque in the Great Hall."

'Grant and I have gathered enough where we think they've spent the last twenty or so years trying to 'rekindle their flame'. Phoenix is made up of the remaining Circle members, the ones we couldn't get to. As for the name, it had to be thought up by someone with a connection to Gallagher," Bex said gravely.

Oh. My. God.

"It couldn't be Catherine, could it? She died."

"They never found a body. It could be her. We don't know yet."

"God. Do you have any idea what they're planning?"

"I'm not sure, other than Grant and I had to squelch a government uprising in Tahiti that we think was caused by Phoenix. And since Tahiti is a part of French Polynesia, we think it is centered in France. There have been several other insurgencies in France at almost the same time, and those ones almost succeeded."

"Do they just want chaos?" I asked, my voice revealing my nervousness, something it hadn't done for a long time.

"Yes. They want chaos. Chaos, and power. That's all they've ever wanted."

**Zach POV**

**September 18th**

Kids are interesting. Apparently some of them just can't help but talk all the time.

Andrew and Lily Morgan are a part of that group.

Not that I'm complaining, but I was more than a little caught off guard when Andrew told me his dad would smack me upside the head.

As I locked up the van, Lily called, "Thanks for the ride, Mr. Goode." But it seemed like it was more out of politeness than actual gratitude.

"Lily! Andrew!" Cammie shouted. She had just come out of the enormous double doors at the front of Gallagher, and was now making her way towards her children. Worry was painted all over her face.

"Sorry, Mom," they said in unison.

"I'm not mad. I'm just wondering why exactly you were talking to that boy," she said, pointing to Lily.

"Um. He was cute?"

"Not a good answer," Cammie said, but a small grin was forming on her face.

"Sorry." Lily paused, then said, "How much of that conversation did you hear?"

Cammie ignored the question, only whispered, "You know, sweetheart, when I was your age, I fell for an Abrams boy, too. So I'm not mad. But… It doesn't work out. Our life doesn't fit with theirs'. I don't want to see you get your heart broken."

This would have been a very sweet moment, except for a few facts:

There was some seriously deafening Led Zeppelin being blasted from the boys' wing of Gallagher.Bex was giving me a death glare so caustic, it could have killed a small animal.All I could think while Cammie was saying all this sweet, motherly stuff was, _Oh yeah. I remember Jimmy._ And then a few dozen words for him fell into place in my mind. But I've been told teens are reading this story, so I probably shouldn't mention them.And _then_ all I could think was, _What am I doing? Am I jealous?!_ I_ cheated on _her_!_

Cammie smiled at Andrew and Lily, and ushered them inside. Then, with Bex at her side, she said, "Thank you for driving them home."

Wait. Did she just _thank _me? I was not expecting that.

"Uh, you're welcome." Cammie went inside. "Hi, Bex," I said.

"Hello, Zachary. Long time no see." Bex was angry. That was for sure.

"Yeah," I agreed, not sure what else to say.

Bex inched a little closer.

"You better play nice with Cammie. Or you'll be in trouble, Zachary," she said, her words dripping with venom.

I nodded. "I'm not going to hurt her Bex. Really."

"But you've already hurt her so much. I'm not going to trust you with her. For one second. Do you hear me?"

But Bex didn't wait for my answer. She walked into Gallagher Academy, leaving me outside in the dark of night.

**Lily POV**

**September 19th**

"Oh. My. God," Jeanette said plainly.

"That's why you were out in Roseville so long?" Minnie pondered.

"A boy?" Marie asked.

"Jake. Jake Abrams," I said dreamily.

My friends, who had put down their breakfasts down in amazement, looked at each other and _squealed_. Like, actually squealed right then and there at the table. In the middle of the Great Hall!

"Oh my God, oh my God, _oh my God!" _Minnie exclaimed, earning quite a few sideward glances.

"This. Is. Huge," Jeanette stated.

"Is he cute? More importantly, is he another international art thief?" Marie asked.

"He's cute, and he's _not_ an art thief. But…the thing is, my mom dated his dad. And it didn't work out. Because he just a normal guy. Just a regular person."

Before my friends could answer, the sound of a microphone being hooked up cut through the air. My grandma stood upright, her high heels click-clacking against the floor as she made her way to the podium that sat in the front of everyone.

"Attention! Attention!" she called, her voice causing a hush to spread throughout the crowd. "Thank you. Now, boys and girls, since we have all of you together, I'd like you all to be aware of something. In three days, Gallagher Academy will be hosting the second-annual Gallagher-Blackthorne ball!"

Screaming. And a lot of it. Suddenly, I was surrounded by a lot of, "Oh my God, what am I going to wear?" and, "Do you think Andrew will ask me out?"

Wait, what?

I looked at my friends, catching a glint of excitement in each of their eyes.

Well, this could be fun.

** So, what did you guys think? Tell me in the reviews. I'd LOVE to get to fifty reviews by the next time I post. Like this story? Follow and/or favorite it! Thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed, and favorited this story!**

** I will now be posting a new chapter every Friday or Saturday, just so you guys have a little schedule to go by.**

**Happy reading,**

**Gracie**


	6. A Sick Boy and the Same Eyes

**WHOA! I got to fifty reviews! Thank you so much!  
Oh, and, as we all know, I don't own Gallagher Girls. Like, at all.**

**Happy reading,**

**Gracie**

**Andrew POV**

**September 19****th**

"I would like you to stay after class."

If there are eight words you _never _want to hear from a teacher, those are it. At a normalschool, if this phrase is directed at you, it means you got a bad grade on an English test and your parents are supposed to sign a slip of paper. Or it means that the spitball that was _supposed _to hit the guy sitting in front of you ended up hitting your physics teacher instead. Or it means… well, never mind. You get the gist of it.

But when you go to a school for spies, "I would like to see you after class," takes a whole different meaning. I'd heard these words directed at me three times. The first was when I was trying to climb into my dormitory through the air vents to get out of History of Espionage. But I miscalculated, and actually ended up plummeting_ into_ the classroom where History of Espionage was being taught. On top of our teacher.

Whoops.

To be fair, I was in seventh grade.

The second time was when I tried to find the report on the first incident that Mr. Jacoby, our History of Espionage teacher, kept in his numerous collection of filing cabinets, because I wanted to keep the whole 'I landed on top of my teacher' debacle under wraps. I went in at the exact time that I thought Mr. Jacoby would be out of his file collection room- during my next History of Espionage class. And you can guess what happened after that.

But the third and most terrifying time those eight words were used, I hadn't even done anything wrong.

I racked my brain, trying to think if I had done something that constituted me staying after class with Mr. Goode. Besides the first day at Gallagher, when I got cocky and said, "You better believe I'm here," I couldn't think of anything.

But the weird thing was, I _wanted _there to be something I had done wrong. I was _praying _that there was some obscure rule I had broken, something I had done that I was unaware of.

Because if _that_ wasn't it, did that mean Mr. Goode had finally figured everything out?

My head was spinning, and there was no way I was going to focus on CoveOps now. Of _course _Mr. Goode would have picked today to ask me to stay after class. Mom was with Aunt Bex, helping her get settled in, so he wouldn't have to worry about her stopping him from dropping the bomb on me. And that's not a term we use lightly in the family business.

I glanced over at Lily, but she didn't look worried. Had Mr. Goode not asked her to see him after class with me? But why ask only me?

I couldn't take it.

There was no way I was going to let Mr. Goode talk to me after class. I was going to pull the classic "Mr. Goode, I think I'm gonna be sick!" ploy. Because I was_ not _going to give _anything_ away. As far as Mr. Goode would ever know, Lily and I were just the kids of an ex-girlfriend.

Come to think of it, I was feeling kind of strange, and it wasn't just my head that was woozy anymore. It was my stomach, my whole body…

And that was when I threw up, right then and there in CoveOps class.

**Cammie POV**

**September 19****th**

"What in the world happened?!"

I wasn't sure why I was so angry. It had been easier to be around Zach the past few days. And yet, it was _so _easy to blame him for everything.

Zach grimaced. "I don't know, Cammie. He just… got sick."

"I _know_ that. I mean, _why_? Did something happen to make Andrew so sick?" I half-shouted, my voice clearly giving away my frustration.

"No. Well, I did ask him if he could stay after class, but…"

"Did he do something wrong?" I asked, my voice rushed and tired.

"No. I just wanted to know why he hated me so much," Zach said, smirking a little. _God, that smirk._

"You know, Andrew's not unconscious," Lily said. Zach jumped a little beside me. I had been so wrapped up in Zach and Andrew, she and I hadn't really been talking, and, based on Zach's reaction, he hadn't even known she was there. "He and I can hear, like, _everything _you guys are saying," she continued.

We stared at her blankly.

"How long have you been there?" Zach asked.

"The whole time, considering Andrew is my brother."

I smiled. "Good job, Chameleon," I mouthed silently.

Lily beamed. Then she straightened up and said, "Look, can see my brother or not?" Her beautiful, emerald green eyes gazed at Zach and I expectantly, and I couldn't help but marvel at the identicalness of her eyes and Zach's.

And, from what I saw, he noticed, too.

**Zach POV**

**September 19****th**

Questions bounced around in my head, making it pound with concentration.

_How old were Lily and Andrew, again? _

_ What did Cammie say her husband's name was?_

_ Who do I know that Lily could have gotten her eye color from? Besides, um, me?!_

Then, numbers spilled out in my head, filling my thoughts with only ones and zeroes and fives and tens and nines.

_ Okay, Lily and Andrew are fifteen years old. Cammie and I broke up about sixteen years ago, but we all know how long it takes before kids are actually born, so it would make sense if… well, if…_

I couldn't even begin to imagine what it would mean if Lily and Andrew were actually my kids. I could still remember the night I had told Cammie I was never going to have kids- it was the night I had found out Townsend was my dad. I hadn't wanted to be like him… And now, if they really were my kids, I was _exactly_ like him.

Had Cammie really kept this from me all these years? And why had I only seen it now?

But I was getting ahead of myself. I didn't actually know if the twins were my kids. Everything was based off some mental math, and fleeting images of Lily's green eyes, and Andrew's big smirk.

Yet those small things seemed like enough for now.

Well, there was only one way to know for sure.

I was going to have to ask Cammie herself.

**So, what did ya think? Tell me! Review! Follow! Favorite! (Please!) Thank you everyone for reviewing last chapter.**

**NEXT CHAPTER: the Blackthorne-Gallagher dance….**

**Happy reading,**

**Gracie**


	7. Dresses, Surveillance, and the Truth

**Hey, guys…**

**I know, I know. You can hate me if you want! I'm SO sorry I haven't updated!**

**Basically, my absence can be summed up in two words: Vacation. Wattpad.**

**Vacation is pretty self-explanatory. As for Wattpad, well, I've switched from writing just fanfiction to writing teen fiction as well! If you're interested in my teen fiction stories, check me out on Wattpad! My username is GraceWasHere19, and my stories currently include "Art Geeks" (Just a cliché love story) and "Water Girl" (A less cliché love story). If you like 'em, I would love it if you voted, followed, and commented on both those stories and this!**

**Soooooo… Without further ado… CHAPTER 7!**

**Oh, and as we all know, I'm not Ally. Just Gracie.**

**Happy reading,**

**Gracie**

**Lily POV**

**September 22****nd**

"Is my makeup okay?"

"Is the purple eye shadow too much?"

"Does this dress make my butt look big?"

"Can you zip me up, please?"

I tend to think that at some point in _almost_ every girl's life, she goes through a princess stage. It's easily recognizable, really. Suddenly all little Suzie wears is her Cinderella dress, and the house is cluttered with mismatched princess slippers, and the entirety of Suzie's mom's free time consists of playing dress-up with her daughter.

Note the word _almost._

Me? I never went through a princess stage. To be honest, the only stage I ever went through that was anywhere near that level of obsession was when I was four years old and all I ever wanted to do was take surveillance notes on anyone in a twenty-mile radius.

So, yeah, I was never much of a princess girl. Still, standing beside my three best friends, in a soft green dress that fanned out to the floor and complemented my eye color, I almost, _almost_ felt like a princess.

Jeanette grinned at herself in the mirror. "Ready to go?"

I gave her a small smile, and nodded. Sure, I felt like a princess, but I wasn't exactly sure where my prince was. Boy #1, the international art thief, was nowhere to be found. As for Boy #2? The words my mother gave me the night I met Jake still echoed in my head. I wasn't sure if he even remembered me, and even if he did, there was no way he was coming into Gallagher Academy without earning a stern talking-to from Grandma and a steaming cup of memory-erasing tea.

So, basically, I was boy-free for the night.

Marie grabbed my arm and pulled me out of my trance. For a girl who once took down five members of the Mafia with only a vacuum cleaner and a handful of spaghetti, she was uncharacteristically giddy tonight.

The four of us rushed down the stairs, towards the Great Hall, our long dresses- red, blue, green, white- billowing behind us like the sails of a boat caught in a breeze. I felt like I was flying. But then it stopped.

Mr. Goode was standing at the bottom of the stairs, in a crisp black suit.

It was weird, seeing him like that, and it suddenly made me think of the time when I was still at a normal school, and they were having a Daddy-Daughter dance. I was in, like, second grade, and when my teachers handed out invitations to each of the girls, I took mine and hid it in the top drawer of my dresser, and made sure nobody found it. The day after the dance, I came into school and all of the girls were talking about their pretty dresses and their daddies' nice suits, and the dancing, and the fun, fun, _fun _of it, and I ran into the school bathroom that always seemed to smell like bleach, locking myself in a stall and dabbing my eyes with that cheap toilet paper that bathrooms' always seem to have. I remember the tears flowing in a steady stream down my face until my head was throbbing and my tear ducts had dried up.

A burning flash of fury towards Mr. Goode coursed through me at that memory.

I needed a daddy. But he wasn't there for me.

_He should have been there for me._

Mr. Goode acknowledged us with a nod, and I knew that my friends were practically swooning. I turned my head away from him. I never wanted to see my father again.

From inside the Great Hall, Grandma was beginning to talk about how this was a masquerade -something-or-other, but I didn't really pay attention. I broke free of Marie's grasp.

"Lily?" she asked. "What are you doing?"

"I don't feel too well. Just… just give me a second, okay?"

Marie nodded, her face clouded with concern. I gave her a look that said _I just want to be alone. _She seemed to understand. Marie headed off to her date, Noah.

I sat down on the side of the enormous dance floor, in a seat right next to the trash can. Flies buzzed idly around it. I laid my head back against the wall, trying to breathe easily. A soft, smoky voice cut through the beat-driven music and the pounding in my ears.

"Are you alright?"

I opened my eyes slowly, to a tall boy with sky blue eyes and a face that belonged on the cover of a magazine. His hair was spiked up and reminded me of the color of chestnuts.

"I'm fine," I answered. The boy was not convinced.

"Look, I've been trained to tell when someone's lying. What's wrong? A beautiful girl like you should be out there, dancing with her date."

I was startled by the word _beautiful. _"I don't have a date anyway. It doesn't matter."

"Hmm. That's too bad, because it just so happens that _I _don't have a date either."

The boy was obviously flirting, but he was doing a pretty good job of it, and my insides felt soft, like they were lined with fleece.

I didn't answer.

"You know, seeing as neither of us have dates, we could, theoretically, dance _together_," the boy continued.

I stared at him, studying his chiseled features and wondering why he would bother talking to a girl like me. Someone so _average. _But I pushed my own insecurities down, as well of the nagging voice in my head that said, _Two boys in one week? Shame on you, Lily, shame on you_… I pushed down every worry and every single thought of Mr. Goode, and let him take my hand and lift me up.

"I'm Ben, by the way."

"I'm Lily," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

He put one hand on my waist, another in my hand, and we began to dance.

**Andrew POV**

**September 22****nd**

I was only going to be in here for a minute. Then I would be out on that dance floor. Nobody would even notice I was gone.

Oh, who was I kidding?

I had a self-assigned mission here, in this dank secret passageway that doubled as my surveillance room, and I was not going to stop until that mission was completed.

I loved the view I had of the Great Hall through my cameras. I set them up late last night, hoping to make sure I knew if something happened between Mom and you-know-who. I could see Noah dancing with Lily's friend Marie, Jack hanging out with Minnie, Chris hitting on every single girl that walked by. I searched for Lily, just to make sure she was okay, that she was having fun, but also just in case I needed to contact her. In case something went wrong.

There she was. She was dancing with a guy from school. I didn't really hang out with him, but I knew his name, and nodded at him when we saw each other in the hallways. Ben. He was a good guy.

Lily's face was lit up with laughter, and Ben looked at her with gentleness, adoration, but also like he was considering swooping her in his arms and kissing her.

Oh, never mind. He wasn't considering anymore.

It made me kind of sad to see that. It meant that my sister wasn't the little girl I was able to protect all the time. I mean, we may have been twins, but there was, and always would be, this part of me that felt like I had to be a dad to her as well as a brother.

I decided to start searching for Mom. She was standing near the edge of the dance floor, smiling at the people dancing, though noticeably surprised by Ben and Lily's little show.

My eyes focused in on another figure.

Mr. Goode.

A crushing guilt appeared in my chest all of the sudden. Did I really want to do this? Did I really want to eavesdrop on my own parents?

Parents. What an unfamiliar word.

I thought of Mr. Goode. All he'd ever done was leave. He didn't deserve privacy.

But my mom. My mom, who took my temperature and gave me soup and put everything else on hold to take care of me when I was sick. My mom, who went to every school play, every martial arts meet, every parent-teacher conference. My mom, who kissed my head whenever she saw me and always told me she'd love me "forever plus infinity, multiplied by seven".

My mom deserved this.

I stared at the colorful image of the dance, and turned off the audio.

**Cammie POV**

**September 22****nd**

"Cammie, you… you look beautiful."

I knew where the words came from before I turned around to look at him.

"Thanks, Zach." Those words escaped my mouth before I could stop them. The look on his face was a mixture of relief as well as surprise.

"Look, I was wondering…" Zach trailed off. It was weird. He was usually so sure of himself.

"Yes?" I said, humoring him.

"Would you like to dance?"

I let myself smile. Maybe I could let go of the past, if only for one night. It was just a dance, wasn't it?

"Okay," I answered.

Zach smiled, and took my hand.

I felt like I was back in my sophomore year, back in that strapless red dress that I could _not _pull off, back to the moment when I felt like I was the only girl in the world. Well, until my bra slipped off, of course.

Zach looked really happy. We danced in silence for a minute, because, at least to me, it didn't really seem appropriate to just throw out a casual, "So how's it goin'?" kind of thing. Not after everything we'd been through.

But then Zach decided to speak.

"Look, Cammie. I was wondering if I could ask you something."

His face was unreadable.

I deliberated the question in my head. Zach was going to ask about the twins, wasn't he?

If Zach really had figured everything out, he was going to keep asking until he got an answer. There was no going back.

"Okay. You can ask me."

Zach glanced around. "Can we go somewhere else?"

Yes, he was going to ask about the twins. I took a deep breath. And nodded.

I pulled him out into a hallway. "Okay. What is it you were going to ask me?"

"I… I was just wondering about… about your kids."

"What about them?"

Zach exhaled slowly.

"Are they… Are they mine?"

There it was. The question was out.

I searched his face, looking for any ulterior motive that could exist. But his face was filled only with some sort of longing, a need to _know._

I looked deep within those beautiful green eyes. Even though I hadn't seen Zach in sixteen years, I had seen those eyes every day for the past decade and a half. I saw those eyes every time I looked at Lily, beautiful Lily, my beautiful _daughter_, whom everyone said looked so much like me.

Except for those eyes.

Those eyes she got from her father.

"Yes."

Zach's face was instantly filled with one thousand different emotions at once. He was scared, regretful.

He put his face into his hands, and the vulnerability that he had let free made him seem almost like a child.

"I'm just like Townsend."

"What?"

"I'm just like my father. God, oh God. I'm so stupid."

"Zach…"

"I'm sorry, Cammie. I've hurt you so badly, and… God, I'm such an idiot."

We sat in silence.

"Do they know?" he asked finally.

"What do you mean?"

"Do they know I'm their dad? That's why Andrew hates me so much, isn't it?"

"I never told them. They figured it out on their own."

Zach was quiet. I continued.

"They're great kids, Zach. Maybe you could meet them outside of CoveOps class sometime."

Zach looked at me with shock.

"I'd like to get to know them. Somehow. I mean, if that's okay with you."

"It's okay with me. But I need _them _to be okay with it, too."

He nodded.

"I'm sorry, Cammie. I'm so sorry."

"I know, Zach. I know."

Zach looked at me, his emerald eyes filled with sadness. Sad for me and the life we could have had. Sad for his children, and the part of their lives' that he never had a part in.

I put my hand around his, and he squeezed it tightly.

We stayed there, in that empty hallway, until everyone else went to bed. And then murmured goodnights and last minute hand holding gave way to lonely, restless sleep, and then, daybreak.

**OMG ZACH FOUND OUT!**

**Excitement! Excitement! EXCITEMENT!**

**This chapter is kind of special to me. You may have noticed it had a more subdued tone. I wanted to show both how hard it was for the twins without a dad (Lily's Daddy-Daughter dance story, the fact that Andrew feels he has to be both father AND brother to his sis) as well as showing what a good mom Cammie was to her kids. I hope it did these characters justice.**

**Did you like this chapter? Follow, favorite, comment, please!**

**Thanks for reading! There will be more soon- this is not the end!**

**Happy reading,**

**Gracie**


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